Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains mountain weather forecast.

Cadair Idris, Pumlumon and the central Welsh hills. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains

Tuesday 1 September 2026 · Cadair Idris, Pumlumon and the central Welsh hills

Confidence: Medium

Why: Thunderstorm timing is inherently uncertain and may shift by several hours.

What matters most

Thunderstorms are the main concern, especially on exposed summits and ridges. A noticeable westerly breeze and Persistent rain.

High-ground wind · 700 m15–20 mph westerly Gusts · 700 m25 mph Cloud base500-800 m Feels like · 700 m6°C
Morning · 07:00–13:00SevereSome early summit cloud is possible.
-2/100
Afternoon & evening · 13:00–22:00PoorSummit breaks should improve later.
21/100

Conservative regional grades across representative summits, so one sheltered hill does not overstate the wider area.

01

High-ground wind (700 m)

Westerly 15-20 mph at 700 m. Gusts reaching around 25 mph at 700 m, with locally higher values possible on the most exposed tops. Strongest early (around 15 mph), easing toward 10 mph later.

02

Walking impact

Noticeable on exposed ground, but unlikely to impede most walking.

03

Thunderstorms

A moderate thunderstorm risk is indicated from early morning into the evening. Avoid committing to exposed summits or ridges while storms are building or nearby.

04

Ground conditions

The ground is likely to be wet after recent rain.

05

Spate risk

High spate risk based on forecast rainfall. Burns and unbridged crossings may become difficult or impassable. The heaviest rain is expected around the middle of the day. Crossing risk is expected throughout the day, continuing overnight and easing after around midnight. Turn back if a crossing looks unsafe.

06

Rain and showers

Persistent rain for much of the day. The heaviest rain is expected around the middle of the day.

07

Cloud-free summits

Around 25%. Around 20% early, improving to around 35% later.

08

Cloud and visibility

Cloud bases mostly around 500-800 m. Summit breaks should become more frequent later. Most higher summits are likely to be in cloud for much of the day, with only brief or isolated breaks.

09

Temperature and wind chill

Around 10°C at 700 m, feeling like 6°C in the wind.

10

Freezing level

Above the summits.

11

Daylight

Sunrise 06:24 — Sunset 20:03 — about 13.7 hours daylight.

Overnight · 6 p.m.–9 a.m.Wild campingBetaThunder risk is around 34% in parts of the area; avoid exposed pitches if storms develop. 55/100Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Tuesday 1 September 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across representative hills, open-hillside camping looks mixed around 600 m (55/100). Little rain is expected, but cloud or condensation could still mean a wet pack-up.

Overnight rain0.8 mmOpen ground · 600 m4 mph · gusts 17 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible
300 m55/100 · mixed
Wind / gust
3 / 14 mph
Coldest
9.0°C
In cloud
Unlikely
Condensation
Low
600 m55/100 · mixed
Wind / gust
4 / 17 mph
Coldest
8.9°C
In cloud
Unlikely
Condensation
Low
900 m47/100 · mixed
Wind / gust
10 / 24 mph
Coldest
2.2°C
In cloud
50% of night
Condensation
Moderate

Open-hillside guidance across representative hills. Local shelter, ridges, tent design and the exact pitch can change conditions substantially. Read about sleeping-bag comfort ratings, pitching in strong winds or using the wild-camping forecast.

Daytime · exposed rockClimbing & scramblingBetaThunder risk is around 34% in parts of the area; exposed scrambling may be a poor choice. 0/100Poor · Very poor View detailsHide details
Across representative exposed-rock terrain

Full regional climbing & scrambling outlook

Conditions for exposed scrambling across the area look very poor (0/100). Rain is likely to leave rock wet; polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Gusts may reach about 25 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes volcanic rock, granite, gneiss or gabbro and sandstone or gritstone; moisture response can therefore vary substantially between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust25 mphRain19.1 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits4 broad familiesRepresentative summit samples
volcanic rock 38% 3 representative summitsOften grippy when dry, but volcanic rocks vary widely; wet lichen, smooth holds and local seepage can still make them slippery.granite, gneiss or gabbro 25% 2 representative summitsGenerally grippy when dry and often still positive when damp, but wet slabs, lichen, polish and drainage lines can remain slippery.sandstone or gritstone 25% 2 representative summitsUsually rough and grippy when dry. Damp sandstone and gritstone can feel greasy, and saturated sandstone may be weakened, so let the rock dry fully.slate or mudstone 12% 1 representative summitOften positive when dry, but smooth, polished or slabby sections can become markedly more slippery when damp.

Representative summit-point samples across the region; individual crags and routes may differ.

Generic exposed hands-on-rock terrain across representative summits; mapped summit-point geology is a broad regional sample, not a named-route survey. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026. How to use the climbing and scrambling forecast.

Updated 30 August 2026 at 04:40 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains.

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